Improvement in padlocks



R. THOMPSON.

PAD-LOCK.

No.180,504. Patented Aug.1,-1876\.

N.PETERS. "HDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea ROSEWELL THOMPSON, OF BRIDGEPORT,CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT iN PADLOCKS..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [80.504, dated August1, 1876; application tiled .lune 15,l 1576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RosEwELL THOMPSON, of Bridgeport, in the county ot'Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new andvaluable Improvements in SeltLocking Padlocks; and I do hereby declarethe `following' to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same,reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecitication.

This invention relates to that class ot' locks known as self-lockingpadlocks 5 and my improvement consists in providing the circular case ofa padlock with a removable coverplate, having a screw projecting fromthe center of its inner face for engaging with a hollow central stud ornut in the lock-case, whereby the cover-plate is secured to the casewithout the aid of rivets; also, in pivoting the two sets ot' dogs tothe same stud in the lock-case, one set of which dogs are arranged toengage with and secure the long arm of the hasp, and the other set toengage with and secure the short arm of said hasp, thereby securelyfastening both ends of the'hasp at the same time; also, in 'the novellconstruction and arrangement of the series of tumhlers which operatethe dogs, whereby a key of peculiar form is required to detach the saiddogs from the hasp, all of which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I will now describe the construction and operation ot'- my improved lockwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

' Similar lettersot' reference indicate correspending parts.

Figure l is a perspective view of the lock, showing the externalappearance ot' the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center0f the case. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outer plate removedfrom the ease, to show the construction ofthe inner face ot" the same.Fig. et is a view ot' the lock with the outer plate removed, to show theform, arrangement, and position ot' the dogs and tum- -blers and otherdevices when the hasp is locked by said dogs, and with the flange of theouterV plate shown in section in its groove in the case. Fig. 5 is alsoa view of the lock with the outer plate removed, and ange of the sameshown in sectlou in its groove in the case, but with the parts inposition as when a properly-fitted key has detached the dogs from thehasp, and allowed the short arm ot the same to spring from the case.Fig. 6 is a view ot a portion ot' the lock with the outer platerelnoved, showing the manneiin which the sliding bolt locks thetumblers, and prevents the movement ot" the same when animproperly-fitted key is thrust against said tumhlers. Fig. 7 is adetached perspective view ofthe sliding bolt which locks the tumblers.Fig. 8 is a view of a properly-titted key.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the lock-case.` B is the outerplate.a is a flange upon the inner surface ot' said plate. b is a screwattached tothe cent-er of the plate. c is a stud in the center of thelock case, and is drilled and tapped in the center, to receive the screwb on the outer plate. d is a groove m'ade in the rim ot' the lockcase,to receive vthe flange a 011 the outerplate. C is the lxasp, 4fitted toslide freely in openings made in the rim ot' the case. At D are thedogs, pivoted to the stud c, the lower ends ot' which enter the notchmade in the end ot' the long arm ot' the hasp. At E aredogs, alsopivoted to the stud c, the upper ends of which enter the notch made inVthe short arln ot' thehasp. At F are the tumblers, pivoted to the stud cin the case. G is the sliding bolt, fitted to slide freely in a groovemade in thecase. fis a spring, inserted between the slidingl bolt andlock-case. At g are springs, secured at one end lto the dogs D and E,the free ends ot which press against the tuinblers F. h is a spiralspring, one end of which is inserted into a hole made in the long armofthe hasp, the opposite end pressing against the lock-case. t' is aspring,

passing over the pin j in the lock-case, the

free end ot' the rsame pressing against the long arm ot' the hasp, and-limiting the upward movement of the latter by entering the notch at thelower end when raised, as shown in Fig. 5.

7c 7c are openings madein the ila-nge of the outer plate, in such aposition as to coincide with the openings inthe rim ot' the case, toreceive the hasp C. Lis a groove made in the long arm ot` the hasp, insuch a position as to coincide with the groove d in the rim ot' the casewhen said latch is raised to its highest point, as shown in Fig. 5, toallow the flange ot" the outer plate to pass the hasp when it is desiredto unscrew said plate and remove it from the case. m is an aperture madein the rim of the ease opposite the free enfls of' the iumblers, toreceive the key. u is an opening made in the tlange ot' the outer plate,in snch a position as to coincide with the aperture m in the rim ot' thecase. o is a slot madel in the key, to allow the end ot' the sliding`bolt Gr to enter when said key is inserted into the aperture m, for thepurpose ot' unlocking the hasp, as shown in Fig. 5.

I will 'now describe the operation and advantages ot' my improvements inthis lock, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The caseandremovable. plate are circular in forni, and the latter is secured tothe ca-se by means of the screw b at the center ot' the inner face ofsaid plate, said screw being screwed into the stud c at the center ot'the case, as shown in Fig. 2. The plate hasa iiange, a, near the outeredge of the inner face, which lits into the groove d in the rim ot' thecase when screwed on, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5; and as both arms ofthe hasp C pass into the openings k lo in said flange, the plate issecurelyY locked to the case when said hasp is pushed down and locked bythe dogs D and E, as shown in Fig. 4L. Therefore, the hasp must first beunlocked by a properly-fitted key, and the groove lin the long arm ot'said hasp raised to coincide with the groove in the rim ofthe case, asshown in Fig. 5, before the outer plate can be unscrewed and removedfrom the case. The opening a in the tlan ge is made the same width ofthe aperture m in the rim of the case; but the openings 7c lr aremadewider than the arms of the hasp, and in suchl a position,l with respectto the opening n, as to cause the latter to pass by the aperture m whenthe outer plate is screwed on and turned to its extreme point to theright, as shown in Fig. 4, thus partially closing the aperture with theflange, and preventing the insertion of a properly fitted key into saidaperture far enough to reach the tumblers 5 but when said plate isslightly unscrewed and turned to the left' as far as the openings 7c 7owill allow, the opening n will then coincide with the aperture m, andallow a properly-fitted key to pass in and unlock the hasp, as shown inFig. 5.

By this method oi' construct-in g the lock-case and securing the outerplate to the. saine, the unsightly appearance ot' rivets and screws uponthe exterior ot the lock is avoided, and at the saine time the securityof the lock is increased.

rlhe dogs D and E, three and two in number, respectively, being pivotedat the center to the central stud c in the case, and one ot' the t'reeends of the same entering the notches in the long and short arms ot' thehasp O whenv pushed down, as shown in Fig.4, securely lock said hasp tothe case, and must be moved in unison by the tumblers from said notches7to allow the hasp to spring from the case, in the manner shown in Fig.5, as will hereinafter appear. rlhe tumblers F, tive in number, arepir-1 spond in form to said projections to causeA said dogs to move inunisontrom the hasp, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, no margin of spacebeing allowed behind the dogs t'or an impert'eetly-htted key, theportion q of the case liniiting the motion ot'said dogs, which is justsut'ticient to allow the short arm of the hasp to pass the hooked endsot' the dogs E, and spring Jfrom the ease, as shown in Fig. 5; but it'the t'orm of the end ot' the keydoes not coincide with the projectionson the tumblers, it is evident that as there is no surplus space behindthe dogs some otl the latter would still engage with the hasp, andretain both arms ot' the same within the ease.

To prevent the unlocking of the hasp with a key which is simply correctin form at the end, I apply the sliding bolt G tothe lockcase in such amanner and position as to cause one end of the same to be forced intothe notches r in the tumblers when said key is thrust into the aperturem, and prevent the movement ot said tumblers by the key, as shown inFig. 6. It is evident, therefore, that the body ot' the key must beslotted in a proper position to receive the end ot' the sliding bolt,which enters the aperture to allow the tumblers to pass the projection son the sliding bolt and be forced against lthe dogs by said key, in themanner shown in Fig. 5.

The linet, made on the rim ofthe lock-case, as shown in Fig. l, isdesigned to imitate the seam'between the outer plate and rim. The backof the case is also milled on the cham- Eered edge of the same, toimitate the milled chamt'ered edge of the removable plate, thus making auniformity in the external appearance of the lock-case. When said plateis screwed on the milled edges also facilitate the turning of the outerplate, for purposes hereinbefore specified.

Having thus fully described my invention,

lI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. ln aself-lockin g padlock, the circular lockcase A and circular removableplate B, secured together by means of the screw b at the center of theinner face of said plate, screwed into the central stud c in thelock-case, for the object set forth.

2. In combination with the circular removable plate B, the flange a,located near the outer edge ot' the inner t'ace of said plate,substantially as shown, and provided with the openings 7c k for thereception ot' the hasp C, and with the opening n for the reception of aproperly-litted key, and fitting into the groove d in the rim ot' thelock-ease, when said plate is screwed onto said case, for the purposesset forth.

3. [n combination with the circular lock-case 'A, circular removable A,circular removableV plate B, and hasp C, the series ot' two or moredogs, D and E, pivoted to the central stud c in said lock-case, one ot'the free ends ofthe dogs D engaging with and securing the long arm otsaid hasp, and one of the free ends of the dogs E engaging with andsecuring the short arm of said hasp, substantially as shown, and for theobjectset forth.

4. In combination with the circular lockfcase A, circular removableplate B, and dogs D and E, the series of two or more tumblers, F,pivoted at one end to the stud ein said lock-case, and provided with thenotches 1' at the sides ofthe same for the reception ot'cne end ot' thesliding bolt G, and the free ends which actuate said dogs withprojections P ot' various lengths, substantially as shown, and for theObject set forth.

5. In combination with the circular lock-case plate B, and series ot'tumblers F, the sliding bolt G, itted to slide freely in a groove insaid lockcase, one end ot1 the same entering the aperture m in the case,the opposite end in position to be forced into the notches r in saidtuinblers, and preventing the movement of the salne,.when an unslottedkey is thrust into saidiaperturc against the tumblers, substantially asshown, and for the object set forth.

6. In combination with the circular lock-case .the plate is turned toits A, circular removable plate B, haspC, flange a, openings k k, andaperture m, the opening n, made in such aposition in the flange withrespect to the openings 7c k as to cause said tlange to partially closethe aperture m, when extreme right, substa ntially shown, and for theobject set forth.

7. In combination with the circular lock-case A, circular removableplate B, dogs D and E,

and flange a, the hasp C, constructed with notches u u in the long andshort arms ot' the sanne, for the reception of one ofthe free ends ofthedogs when pushed down, and provided with the groove l in the long armot' the same, in such a position as to allow said flange to pass throughwhen said latch is raised to its highest point, substantially as shown,and for the object set forth.

S. The combination of the circular lock-case A, circular removable plateB, iiange a, hasp C, series ot' tWo or more dogs, D and E, series ot'tumbler-s F, slidingbolt Gr, all constructed and arranged to operatesubstantially .as shown and specified, andfor the object set forth.

ROSEWELL THOMPSON.

Witnesses HENRY L. WRIGHT, GEORGE E. OHEts'riE.

